Krista Gregory rocketed in a shot from 30 yards out just three minutes into the match and the Sea Lions scored five goals in the second half to send the Point Loma women's soccer team to a 6-1 victory over Chaminade on Oct. 13.

The win keeps the Sea Lions (9-2-1, 7-1-1 PacWest) in first place in the PacWest standings with 20 points. They have now won nine of their last 11 contests. Chaminade is still looking for its first win of the season. The Silverswords are now 0-10-0 on the season and 0-8-0 in the PacWest.

The match would be just 1-0 at the half before a strong second half surge sealed any doubt of a Sea Lions’ win. Natalie Swift would start a scoring outburst in the 50th minute, which would see the Sea Lions put up three goals in two minutes. First Swift beat her defender and the goalie on a shot from the middle of the box following an assist from Codi Cameron.

Brooke Winklepleck recorded a goal in the 52nd minute on a shot from the top of the box that snuck over the head of Chaminade’s leaping goalie. Kallie Caldwell had the assist. Swift would then help cap off the scoring run for Point Loma by finding Claire Matthews open in the middle of the box for another score to put PLNU in front 4-0.

Tara Kracy and Heather Cady would each add a goal later in the half. This was the second goal of the season for Kracy and the first for Cady.

The Point Loma women’s soccer team will now close out its regular season with five of the last six matches on the road. They were to open the trip on Wednesday, Oct. 17 against Cal State San Marcos.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

For the seventh time this season, the Point Loma volleyball team found itself locked in a five-set battle, which has not always been a good thing for the Sea Lions. On Oct. 13, it was Hawaii Pacific that slipped past PLNU in five sets, 25-19, 23-25, 12-25, 25-22 and 15-13.

This put Point Loma at 2-5 in five-set matches and at 7-11 on the season (3-6 PacWest). With the win, Hawaii Pacific moved to 8-7 on the year and to 2-5 in the PacWest.

Kelli LeClair had a double-double for the Sea Lions with 20 kills and 21 digs. McKensey Wise hit .419 with 14 kills and just one error. Nicole Eiler led PLNU with 24 digs and Natalie Hamill with 50 assists.

The Sea Warriors’ biggest advantage came at the net where they were able to outblock Point Loma 15.5 to six. Amanda Moriarty led HPU with 13 kills.

After HPU won the opening set PLNU came back to win sets two (25-23) and three (25-12). The Sea Warriors answered with a 25-22 win in set four to send the match to the decisive fifth set.

In set five, HPU jumped out to a 7-2 and 10-5 lead before PLNU fought back. The Sea Lions would score five of the next six points to get within one point (11-10) and eventually tie it at 13-13. HPU would then get a kill and a block at the net on the next two points to earn the win.

This gave Point Loma a 2-2 record on its first four-match swing to Hawaii since joining the PacWest.

Point Loma were set to return to Golden Gymnasium to face Biola in a non-conference matchup on Tuesday, Oct. 16.

MEN’S SOCCER

San Diego State University scored four goals to beat the Point Loma men’s soccer team 4-0 on Monday, Oct. 15.

Four different student-athletes scored for the Aztecs (5-6-2). They got goals from Kody Duffy at 16 minutes and Casey Meuser in the 32nd minutes to take a 2-0 lead into halftime. SDSU would add two goals 10 minutes apart in the second period.

Griffin Fuller had two shots and Carter Phillips three saves to lead Point Loma (2-10-0).

The Sea Lions were to play another non-conference match on Wednesday, Oct. 17. They will travel to Cal State San Marcos for a 2 p.m. kickoff.

GOLF

Three Point Loma men’s golfers are in the top 15 and the Sea Lions sat in third place with a even score of 576 (282-294, E) through two rounds at the CSU San Marcos Fall Classic as of Monday, Oct. 15.

Zane Keith led the Sea Lions with a -3 (72-69) on the par-72 Twin Oaks Golf Course. He is tied sixth overall. Joining Keith in the top 10 was Oscar Casillas. Casillas went 1-under par in the first round (71) and backed it up with an even-par 72 to place tied for ninth.

Brett Hamilton started off hot for the Sea Lions with a 68 (-4) in the first round. His performance helped the PLNU men shoot a 6-under, 282 in the first round to be tied with Redlands for first place. Hamilton would shoot a 76 (+4) in the second round to shoot an even-par, 144 and stand tied for 15th going into the final. Cole Reese rounded out the scoring for Point Loma with a 148 (71-77, +4).

“We played well today and find ourselves five shots back going into the final round,” said Point Loma head coach Zack Ponder. “We are in a good position to make a move and tomorrow will be a good test for us going into the NCCAA tournament in Florida.”

Cal State San Marcos won the team competition with a 571 (286-285, -5). They edged Redlands (575, -1) by four strokes and PLNU by five. Pontus Widegren of UCLA won the individual competition with a 14-under, 130 (64-66).

The Sea Lions will now prepare to play in the NCCAA National Championships in Panama City, Fla., Oct. 22-24.

CROSS COUNTRY

Kyle Russell placed fifth in the men’s race at the 23rd Vanguard Invitational and Breelan Matranga took 21st to lead the Point Loma cross country squads. The women’s team finished fourth and the men placed sixth.

This matched a season-best finish for the PLNU women’s team. All five women’s scorers placed in the top 36 to earn 125 team points for the Sea Lions. Matranga led the women's team for the fifth race this season but it was the effort of the other four that earned PLNU the fourth-place finish.

Gina Erbacci finished 31st in the 5k run at Fairview Park with a time of 19:14.78. Ashley Matsen was right behind her in 32nd place with a time of 19:18.93. Bailey Massenburg placed 33rd with a time of 19:19.92 and Alisa Poplawski was 36th (19:29.23) to round out the scoring for PLNU.

All five men placed in the top 54 to grab 141 points for the Sea Lions. Russell was fifth with a time of 25:38.99. Dylan Poorboy and Tyler Wilson followed in 26th and 29th place with times of 26:59.48 and 27:09.36, respectively. Tristan Oliver-Mallory placed 42nd and Tyler Norden came in at 54th.

Biola won the women’s race with 27 points. Vanguard was the winner on the men’s side.

Up next for the Point Loma men’s and women’s cross country teams will be their first appearance in the PacWest Championships. They will be held Saturday, Oct. 27 in Hawaii.

HOMECOMING GOLF TOURNEY

The Point Loma Alumni and Friends announced it will host its annual Homecoming Golf Tournament Friday, Nov. 16th at the Salt Creek Golf Club in Chula Vista.

The tournament will be a four-man scramble format starting at 11:30 a.m. There will be individual awards given for longest drive and closest to the pin, along with drawings for prizes.

The cost will be $90 (25 percent tax deductible). This will include green fees, a cart, range balls, tee prizes, lunch and a donation to the PLNU golf program. The entry deadline is Nov. 8. This tournament has a limitation of 72 players so early registration is greatly appreciated.

The Point Loma Alumni and Friends will also be offering sponsorship opportunities.

For more information or to offer sponsorship, contact Ben Foster at (619) 849-2283 or email benfoster@pointloma.edu, or call Dianne Rabello at (619) 849-2265.